From anger to restraint… How did Mourinho say goodbye to his obsession with fighting?

Upgraded version of “Special One”.

Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho has introduced a radical change in leadership and technical management style in his new experience with Real Madrid, where he has abandoned a confrontational and confrontational style in favor of building players and intelligent containment, representing a completely progressive version of the one who left the Spanish capital 13 years ago.

New character

According to Spanish newspaper AS, Mourinho faced a situation at Benfica that showed how his management style has changed, with player Schelderup arriving as one of Europe’s most promising talents but failing to make the return expected.

Instead of leaving him to his fate, the Portuguese coach realized that he had to work with him more on the psychological side, particularly when things got completely complicated for the player in November 2025, when he was involved in a criminal case related to the publication of a video with sexual content of a minor, similar to the incident with Asensio at Real.

At that moment, Mourinho decided to protect the player because he knew that this was the most important moment for Schelderup to feel his support. At the same time, the coach demanded more defensive attitude, competitive aggressiveness, high intensity and continuity from his player so that he can prove to everyone outside what kind of player he is, which he really did.

Benfica were set to sell Schelderup to Belgian club Club Brugge for €10 million in the winter transfer window, but Mourinho was completely against the move and managed to turn the player into one of the season’s breakout stars, finishing the season with 10 goals (two of which provided 7 assists for Real Madrid).

The Norwegian player himself also publicly admitted that it was Mourinho who helped him get out of that crisis, and Benfica recently received an offer of 70 million euros to part with his services.

A man of battles

The coming days will confirm the authenticity of this transformation, as Mourinho in Madrid is completely different from the coach who left the capital 13 years ago, as he no longer… The Portuguese is the coach who sits in front of the microphones angry and upset after defeatsFor the sharp criticism of his players, the current Mourinho has even managed to adapt to the demands of modern football.

Mourinho was fully aware that the players represented small, self-contained companies and he began to deal with them intelligently and calmly. He also surrounded himself with a staff that left nothing to chance, be it the media and communication aspects, the strategy followed on social media platforms, or even the nature of the messages being exported, where every detail was measured with extreme precision.

A new leadership model introduced by the Portuguese, as Mourinho has significantly changed his leadership style and close relationship with the players compared to what was the situation during his first coaching with Real Madrid, as the new version of the “Special One” now thrives by building relationships with the players instead of getting into conflicts and confrontations, which ensures that projects last longer.

This transformation is a natural progression after 27 seasons coaching in elite stadiums, especially since he is not far removed from how globalization and social media are affecting footballers’ professional careers.

Although Mourinho’s working method retains the same core pillars of ambition, obsession with winning and demanding daily hard work, his management style has become more mature and strategic and is aimed at building stable structures within teams, as the current Mourinho relies on persuading and directing players rather than placing high levels of responsibility on each player.

Holy room

The dressing room of the team remains sacred and intact for the Portuguese coach, an artistic gene that he has never lost. The defense of the group remains negotiable and the coach continues to position himself as a shield to protect his players when any crisis or adversity occurs.

For this reason, Mourinho always needs an assistant coach from the club who has status and respect in the group, but at the same time knows how to stay in the background, because in all cases, regardless of the results, Mourinho is the one who takes the hits to protect his men, and the external pressure is directed at him personally, which allows the players to fully focus on the sports game.

The Mourinho that fans remember was immersed in a thousand and one battles, whether against the referees, the game schedule, Valdano or the media. However, experience and expertise have made the new Mourinho choose the battles he must fight with precision and care, and the current focus is on what adds real value to the sporting project and contributes to strengthening and uniting the group.

There are constants that do not change in the Portuguese coach’s character, such as ambition, loyalty to the group, obsession with winning and demanding maximum effort, but his method and style of working have evolved significantly as the current Mourinho seeks to build by increasing responsibility, building trust and relying on a strong collective identity.

Source link